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Abstract: In the recent past, transgender, gender non-conforming and gender non-binary persons have been asserting their existence and rights in Indian science institutions. In academic and journalistic reports about people of non-normative genders and sexualities, including those in the Indian science ecosystem, the overarching focus has been largely (and rightly) on the mechanisms through which they are excluded, discriminated and marginalised. Building on these previous reports, I will draw insights from a recently concluded multi-site qualitative research project that documented the lived experiences of transgender, gender non-conforming and gender non-binary persons in a few elite Indian science institutions to highlight how these individuals collectivise into affirming communities in these institutions. In doing so, I will demonstrate the potential of such 'transgressive' communities in opening up spaces of political solidarity and care, through which, I argue, they can transform the ethos of the institution.
About the Speaker: Sayantan Datta (they/them) is a science journalist and a member of the faculty at Krea University. Their research and writing interests lie at the intersections of science, health, gender, sexuality and caste. Their work has been supported by grants and fellowships from the National Association for Science Writers, USA, the Transforming Education for Sustainable Futures - India project, and the reFrame Institute of Art and Expression.